Vietnam Era Music
Top Ten Hits from each year of the war

Our music redefined the boundaries that had been set before, without throwing
older-style beautiful music away. Musically we had the best of all worlds... traditional
outlets in classical, instrumental, ballads, swing, jazz, country, folk and pop while
bursting at the seams with new soul, Motown, rock and roll and other sounds. Just email
your reviews or comments to Nam Music.

Below you will find the lists of the top ten hits for each year of the Vietnam war.
At some future time, we may incorporate the actual music into this site...for now, we
recommend the following web page: Click Here to visit this comprehensive
collection!

Previously, CDs containing these listed songs were offered for sale,
with proceeds going towards 1/50th Document collection and Archival activity.
Due to possible copyright infringement, these are no longer for sale.
The Website Committee suggests you use one of
the many private music resource websites and download the songs of your choice.
Some of the recommended site are:

It was another great year
for Elvis, and the big surprise was that an instrumental by Percy Faith would hold the #1
position the longest! 1960 still had a '50s feel to it, and people hadn't really started
rocking. Ballads were huge, like Roy Orbison's "Only The Lonely" and Paul Anka's
"Puppy Love." Chubby Checker came out of nowhere with "The Twist" and
Ray Charles had "Georgia On My Mind."

1.

Theme From A Summer Place

Percy Faith

2.

It's Now Or Never

Elvis Presley

3.

He'll Have To Go

Jim Reeves

4.

I'm Sorry

Brenda Lee

5.

Running Bear

Johnny Preston

6.

Cathy's Clown

Everly Brothers

7.

The Twist

Chubby Checker

8.

El Paso

Marty Robbins

9.

North To Alaska

Johnny Horton

10.

Last Date

Floyd Cramer

1961

1961 continued to feature a mix of popular
music that catered to generations from instrumentals like "Exodus,"
"Wonderland" and "Calcutta" for adults to teen tunes like "Tossin
and Turning", "Runaway" and "Please Mr. Postman." In the middle,
Elvis pumped out ballads, Dave Brubeck delivered some of the best jazz ever with
"Take Five", and Chubby Checker twisted, twisted again and did the pony.

1.

Tossin' And Turnin'

Bobby Lewis

2.

Are You Lonesome Tonight

Elvis Presley

3.

Big Bad John

Jimmy Dean

4.

Exodus

Ferrante & Teicher

5.

Wonderland By Night

Bert Kaempfert

6.

Runaway

Del Shannon

7.

Will You Love Me Tomorrow

Shirelles

8.

Pony Time

Chubby Checker

9.

Calcutta

Lawrence Welk

10.

Please Mr. Postman

Marvelettes

1962

1962 had so much good music
that's played even today that it's hard to believe that there were as many dogs as there
were. How could you remember them with such great tunes as Henry Mancini's "Moon
River" and Gene Pitney''s "Town Without Pity", Ray Charles, Gene Chandler's
"Duke of Earl", Little Eva's "The Loco-Motion" and Sam Cooke's
"Twisting The Night Away." And, oh yes, "Do You Love Me" now that I
can dance!

1.

Mashed Potato Time

Dee Dee Sharp

2.

I Can't Stop Loving
You

Ray Charles

3.

Twist and Shout

The Isley Brothers

4.

Duke of Earl

Gene Chandler

5.

Sherry

The Four Seasons

6.

Roses Are Red

Bobby Vinton

7.

The Twist

Chubby Checker

8.

Soldier Boy

The Shirelles

9.

Loco-Motion

Little Eva

10.

Do You Love Me

The Contours

1963

So what could follow 1962...
1963, of course, with not only new music but new types (genres) of pop music, exemplified
by the Beach Boys "Surfin' USA" and "Heat Wave" by Martha & the
Vandellas. Ray Charles introduced his protege, Little Stevie Wonder. And social conscience
hit the top 100 bigtime, led by Peter, Paul & Mary.

1.

I Will Follow Him

Little Peggy March

2.

Be My Baby

The Ronettes

3.

He's So Fine

The Chiffons

4.

Our Day Will Come

Ruby and The Romantics

5.

Easier Said Than Done

The Essex

6.

So Much In Love

The Tymes

7.

My Boyfriend's Back

The Angels

8.

Hey Paula

Paul and Paula

9.

Fingertips (Part 2)

Little Stevie Wonder

10.

Go Away Little Girl

Steve Lawrence

1964

Well hello Beatles! The Ed
Sullivan Show ushered in Beatlemania in February 1964, and the Fab Four changed the scene
of music in America by introducing the Mersey sound and bands like Manfred Mann started to
be heard as a result. But Motown was also vibrant with the Supremes, the Four Seasons and
others. Roy Orbison twanged our heartstrings and Dean Martin and Andy Williams loved
somebody.

1.

Hello Dolly

Louis Armstrong

2.

I Want To Hold Your
Hand

The Beatles

3.

She Loves You

The Beatles

4.

Where Did Our Love Go

The Supremes

5.

Chapel of Love

The Dixie Cups

6.

Pretty Woman

Roy Orbison

7.

Rag Doll

The Four Seasons

8.

A Hard Day's Night

The Beatles

9.

Everybody Loves
Somebody

Dean Martin

10.

Do Wah Diddy Diddy

Manfred Mann

1965

With the Beatles having
broken down the gates, the British flooded through to get satisfaction downtown. Rock
arrived with the Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, the Byrds, the Moody Blues, the
Yardbirds, the Turtles, the Zombies, the Lovin' Spoonful and more. Bob Dylan was reputed
to start to sing. Motown hung on, and Sonny and Cher got each other, and a lucrative
television contract..

1.

(I Can't Get No)
Satisfaction

The Rolling Stones

2.

Help

The Beatles

3.

I Can't Help Myself

The Four Tops

4.

Downtown

Petula Clark

5.

1-2-3

Len Barry

6.

A Lover's Concerto

The Toys

7.

Let's Hang On

The Four Seasons

8.

I Got You Babe

Sonny and Cher

9.

Come See About Me

The Supremes

10.

Stop! In The Name Of
Love

The Supremes

1966

This year's #1 hit,
"Ballad of the Green Berets," sung by Sgt. Barry Sadler, was a reflection of
America's growing involvement in Vietnam, but the anthem could have been Frank Sinatra's
"Strangers in the Night". Interestingly, the first contrived for television
group, the Monkees, also hit the charts... and the power of the media was soon to sweep
away the power of patriotism. Elsewhere on the charts the new sound was going strong:
"California Dreamin'" by the Mamas and the Papas, went "California
Dreaming" and the Beatles say things their way with "We Can Work It Out."
"Wild Thing" loved Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Woman #12 and 35" and Simon
and Garfunkel were "Homeward Bound."

1.

The Ballad of The
Green Berets

S/Sgt. Barry Sadler

2.

You Can't Hurry Love

The Supremes

3.

Strangers In The Night

Frank Sinatra

4.

Good Lovin'

The Young Rascals

5.

Reach Out, I'll Be
There

The Four Tops

6.

Last Train To
Clarksville

The Monkees

7.

Cherish

The Associations

8.

We Can Work It Out

The Beatles

9.

Turn Turn Turn

The Byrds

10.

Monday, Monday

The Mamas and The
Papas

1967

1967 was a wild and wooley
year in music, with a huge mix of styles and offerings, ranging from ballads to rock to
Motown to psychedelia. The UK invasion continued with Lulu's "To Sir With Love"
from the Sidney Portier classic film. Doors sang "Light My Fire" and an
Australian pop group "The Seekers" hit the charts with "Georgy Girl".
Social conscience was bursting out all over, and Aretha Franklin wanted (and got) a little
"R-e-s-p-e-c-t".

1.

To Sir With Love

Lulu

2.

Light My Fire

The Doors

3.

Can't Take My Eyes Off
of You

Frankie Valli

4.

Happy Together

The Turtles

5.

Groovin'

The Young Rascals

6.

The Letter

The Box Tops

7.

Windy

The Associations

8.

Georgy Girl

The Seekers

9.

Little Bit of Soul

The Music Explosion

10.

Respect

Aretha Franklin

1968

1968 was "Born to be
wild" (Steppenwolf), a turbulent time in rock 'n roll. Raw sounds competed on teh
charts with instrumentals and sweet melodic tunes underlaid with solid gold Motown rythm
like the Supremes' "I'm a love child" and Dionne Warwick's "Do you know the
way to San Jose?" The Bee Gees were heard in Brisbane, and Simon and Garfunkel went
from lyrical strength to catchy strength. And nobody could write off the prolific Beatles,
whose every song seemed to levitate to the top of the charts.

1.

Hey Jude

The Beatles

2.

Young Girl

Gary Puckett and The
Union Gap

3.

People Got to Be Free

The Rascals

4.

Mrs. Robinson

Simon and Garfunkel

5.

Love is Blue (Instrumental)

Paul Mauriat

6.

Beautiful Morning

The Rascals

7.

Those Were the Days

Mary Hopkins

8.

MacArthur Park

Richard Harris

9.

This Guy's In Love
With You

Herb Alpert

10.

Simon Says

The 1910 Fruitgum
Company

1969

1969 let the
sunshine in, as we let down our Hair musically speaking and tried to get back to where we
once belonged. Even Elvis developed a social concience, as his baby cried in the ghetto.
'69 was an eclectic, electric mix of sounds and styles from the Rolling Stones to
Creedence Clearwater Revival to Tommy James & the Shondells to Marvin Gaye and Stevie
Wonder and all the way over to Bob Dylan. And we heard it all on AFN!

1.

Aquarius/Let the
Sunshine In

The Fifth Dimension

2.

Sugar, Sugar

The Archies

3.

Honky Tonk Women

The Rolling Stones

4.

Get Back

The Beatles

5.

Crimson and Clover

Tommy James and the
Shondells

6.

Dizzy

Tommy Roe

7.

Jean

Oliver

8.

Build Me Up, Buttercup

The Foundations

9.

Touch Me

The Doors

10.

Hair

The Cowsills

1970

1970 was
absolutely huge on the pop music scene, and much of its popularity is still strong today
with heaps of real classics from Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, the Beatles, Aretha
and B.B. King still on the pop airwaves. And of course, the lasting impression of
"War! Huh! Good God, y'all! What is it good for?"

1.

Raindrops Keep Fallin'
On My Head

B.J. Thomas

2.

Let It Be

The Beatles

3.

Band of Gold

Freda Payne

4.

I'll Be There

The Jackson Five

5.

(They Want to Be)
Close To You

The Carpenters

6.

The Love You Save

The Jackson Five

7.

Bridge Over Troubled
Water

Simon and Garfunkel

8.

Ball of Confusion

The Temptations

9.

Signed, Sealed and
Delivered

Stevie Wonder

10.

War

Edwin Starr

1971

Jeremiah was
a bullfrog???? What's going on? Who's the man? As well as being cool, 1971 saw folk
singers like Joan Baez and Judy Collins scoring hits as well as Carole King, Janis Joplin,
Al Green and the Temptations. And Mr. Timeless Rod Stewart shook out his hair (it's my
theory that he only knows one song, but will rework it until he gets it right... but then,
I'm not a "chick").

1.

Joy to the World

Three Dog Night

2.

One Bad Apple

The Osmonds

3.

Maggie May

Rod Stewart

4.

It's Too Late

Carole King

5.

Knock Three Times

Tony Orlando and Dawn

6.

Indian Reservation

Paul Revere and The
Raiders

7.

Shaft

Isaac Hayes

8.

Want Ads

Honey Cone

9.

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

10.

Just My Imagination

The Temptations

1972

1972 was the year that we
said "Bye, bye" to American Pie, a transitional year in pop music expressed
anguish, rage and hope. Songs of spirit like "Lean on Me" and songs of love like
"First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" still stir my emotions, and "Brandy"
stirs something else (but that's another story for another day). One 1970s anthem summed
up 1972 well, "Morning Has Broken" by Cat Stevens.

1.

Alone Again
(Naturally)

Gilbert O'Sullivan

2.

American Pie

Don McLean

3.

Candy Man

Sammy Davis, Jr.

4.

Lean on Me

Bill Withers

5.

Without You

Nilsson

6.

Let's Stay Together

Al Green

7.

First Time Ever I Saw
Your Face

Roberta Flack

8.

Horse With No Name

America

9.

Brandy (You're a Fine
Girl)

Looking Glass

10.

I'll Take You There

The Staple Singers

1973

The American
focus on the POW-MIA issue had yellow ribbons at the top of the tree. And musically, 1973
could have been in no other decade but the 19'70s with Tony Orlando and Dawn, carly Simon,
Jim Croce, and none other than a youngish John Denver tracking up the charts and Roberta
Flack killing 'em softly. And of course, 1973 saw one of my personal all-time favorites,
"Midnight Train to Georgia" (Fort Benning anyone?).

1.

Tie A Yellow Ribbon

Tony Orlando

2.

Let's Get It On

Marvin Gaye

3.

Why Me

Kris Kristofferson

4.

My Love

Paul McCartney

5.

Bad, Bad Leroy Brown

Jim Croce

6.

You're So Vain

Carly Simon

7.

Killing Me Softly

Roberta Flack

8.

Keep On Truckin'

Eddie Kendricks

9.

The Most Beautiful Girl

Charlie Rich

10.

Midnight Train To Georgia

Gladys Knight

1974

Mainstream
pop was tucking away the war protests in 1974 as it ushered in mellow with the Stylistics,
Olivia Newton-John and Gordon Lightfoot. Barbra Streisand made an anthem of "The Way
We Were." Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets" typlified the new soft rock
sound.

1.

The Way We Were

Barbra Streisand

2.

Seasons In The Sun

Terry Jacks

3.

Dancing Machine

Jackson 5

4.

Love's Theme

Love Unlimited Orchestra

5.

Bennie & The Jets

Elton John

6.

You Make Me Feel Brand New

Stylistics

7.

The Joker

Steve Miller Band

8.

Show & Tell

Al Wilson

9.

Come And Get Your Love

Redbone

10.

Until You Come Back To Me

Aretha Franklin

1975

Mellow and
laid back sums up 1975 sounds, and it was all about "Feelings, nothing more but
feelings," served up by the likes of Glen Campbell, Captain & Tenille, the
Eagles, John Denver, Frankie Valli and Neil Sedaka. Elevator music would never be the same
again.

Don't be shy; one thing that the 60s and 70s allowed was free expression. In many cases
this meant that cream rose to the top, while in others it seemed to indicate that
"there's no accounting for taste." This section of the website is set aside for
members and their families and friends to display their musical talent.